Both exceptions, the special treatment of // and /^/ by split, are documented in split. Both may deserve to be mentioned in the tutorial quickly for the profit of the unaware. The last remark by ysth about the non-equivalence of /^(?#)/ and /^ /x with // for split purposes is a subtle thing. More subtle if you compare to the fact that / /x, / # /x or even / (?#)/x have the same treatment as // when passed to this function. Looks like a case to be fixed either in the docs or in the code of the Perl interpreter itself (if not barred by compatibility issues).

Went to join the gridlock to see it
Held an eclipse party
Watched a live feed
I cn"t see tge kwubosd to amswr thus
I tried to see it, but 8000 miles of rock got in the way
What eclipse?
Wanted to see it, but they wouldn't reschedule it
Read the book instead